National Symbols

The National Flag of Korea

The
Korean flag (태극기) is called "Taegeukgi"
in Korean. Its design symbolizes the principles
of the yin and yang in Oriental philosophy. The
circle in the center of the Korean flag is divided
into two equal parts. The upper red section represents
the proactive cosmic forces of the yang. Conversely,
the lower blue section represents the responsive
cosmic forces of the yin. The two forces together
embody the concepts of continual movement, balance
and harmony that characterize the sphere of infinity.
The circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in
each corner. Each trigram symbolizes one of the
four universal elements: heaven (),
earth (),
fire (),
and water ().

The National Flower of Korea

The
national flower of Korea is the mugunghwa (무궁화), rose
of sharon. Every year from July to October, a profusion
of mugunghwa blossoms graces the entire country.
Unlike most flowers, the mugunghwa is remarkably
tenacious and able to withstand both blight and
insects. The flower’s symbolic significance stems
from the Korean word mugung, meaning immortality.
This word accurately reflects the enduring nature
of Korean culture, and the determination and perseverance
of the Korean people.

The National
Anthem of Korea

Korea's national anthem is "Aegukga," which
means "Love the Country." In 1896, the
Dongnip Sinmun (Independence News) published various
versions of lyrics for this song. It is not known
exactly what music they were sung to in the early
days. Records show that a Western-style military
band was formed during the time of the Dae-han Empire
(1897-1910) and that the "Dae-han Empire Aegukga"
was composed in 1902 and played at important national
functions.
The original words of Aegukga appeared
in written form around 1907 to inculcate allegiance
to the nation and foster the spirit of independence
as the country faced threats of foreign involuntary
annexation.
Over the years, the lyrics went through several
versions until they were adopted as the national
anthem in the present form in 1948. Before the
birth of the Republic in 1948, the words were often
sung to the tune of the Scottish folk song, Auld
Lang Syne. Maestro Ahn Eak-tay (1905-1965), then
living in Spain, felt that it was inappropriate
to sing this patriotic song to the tune of another
country's folk song. So, he composed new music to
go with the lyrics in 1935, and the Korean Provisional
Government in exile adopted it as the national anthem.
While Koreans outside the country sang the anthem
to the new tune, those at home continued to use
Auld Lang Syne until Korea was liberated in 1945.
In 1948 the government of the Republic of Korea
officially adopted the new version as the national
anthem and began to use it at all schools and official
functions.